Assess Your True Risk of Breast Cancer

I actually contacted the author to ask about a single statistic that had been referenced to her book. She was great--told me exactly where to find the information I needed.

When you're diagnosed with breast cancer, the first thing you learn is that confusion and disagreement abound in the medical community, regarding both risk and treatment. Deciding on the right course of treatment, therefore, can be a frustrating experience. Patricia Kelly arms you with information, dispelling the myths and rumors most of us have heard about cancer. She makes sense of mind-numbing data and statistics, presenting them in a way that is understandable and clear. Twice in ten years, Patricia has helped me sort through study findings, assess my own risk, and base my treatment decisions on fact, rather than feeling. If you're wondering about breast cancer risk, her book will do the same for you.

Every woman should read this book, especially if she has been diagonosed with a controversial "precancerous" condition such as atypical hyperplasia, DCIS or LCIS. Dr. Kelly presents a very readable, up-to-date review of the most important medical research on these problems. A patient who has a critical understanding of the material in this book may very well be more informed than her doctors. She could gain the confidence to say "no" to an unnecessary mastectomy, or to other harsh and disfiguring treatments that are recommended for a problem that may never pose a threat to her life.

Dr. Kelly has written a wonderful book which every woman concerned about breast cancer risk, and every health professional who cares for them, should read. In Dr. Kelly we not only have an acknowledged expert in her field, but one who is both thorough and also able to express herself very clearly. In a calm, reasoned way she cites the major literature in this field and dissects it for the intelligent lay person.Away from the sound bites and buzz phrases that spout from the popular media and the self-proclaimed gurus on this topic, she presents an up-to-date analysis of what is really known about breast cancer risk. I recommend this book highly. M. Ellen Mahoney, M.D.